dev 6 - the test of diligence

Waves crashed upon these shores beneath a moonlit sky.

Tension clung upon the air as blackened mist spilled from these waters once so gentle and tranquil. With every step closer the crunch of sands beneath his boots echoing in the minds of those present.

The waves upon this beach parting as eyes of a bright crimson had come into view. Feathers falling with every step taken, vanishing just as quickly as they had touched upon these grounds.

The progress of The Fallen being halted by the presence of those which now stood before him. The blackened mist which swelled upon these shores growing dense and heavier the longer that gaze lingered.

Humans and The Children of Divinity, hand in hand all stood before those blackened wings.

Standing before this figure cast out from the heavens of Avalon. This being which had caused so much fear and doubts upon the minds of men and women aplenty upon these lands.

Now within arms distance of them all.

"... And when you seek freedom for the masses they will cling to their ways. Wishing and praying to the heavens above that their lives may continue to be burdened, continue to exist as they are."

His head shook from side to side, those immaculate white locks cascading down the features of divinity given form.

"Submission means freedom from the choices in life which you all struggle in making. Submission means a new life, a simple life under the rule of those who had always cared for you. Humans which cling to the heavens, which pray and seek guidance."

Those crimson eyes flashed with a sense of intent looming behind.

"Prostrate yourselves and give in to your most basic of human desires. Humans would be so much better off exchanging their loyalty for power, for a purpose given unto them by the heavens which now stand silent."
(Akasha)

There's no such thing as simple life.

Keitaro had to learn that a hard way, when the beliefs of his kindness and understanding had to clash against the reality itself. There's no such thing as everyone being nice to one another, you see... there's only the fact that he could try and make it better, try and make peace between people - but forcing that upon them under some tyrannical rule would be no answer. No, that'd be only an illusion.

And yet, out of all potential fights out there, this one would be probably most difficult, for a simple reason that they're fighting Divinity itself; even if they had such massive numbers on their side, it would always mean struggle. Otherwise, why would he even come here?

"Ancestors, give me strength."

It was a small prayer to himself. Not to some god out there, but to his own power that he not only believed, but was fully aware of- his own blood as a Shenlong Drakanite, one that would allow for something greater to sprout, something to let the lightning go wild at his fingertips.

And it did just that.

The desire to protect and defend was always pertaining to Keitaro, but this time, it was something else- it was the burning passion to put himself out on the line and made sure that nobody else is hurt, even if the price is his own health. He's just made this way - and the lightning responds, combined with the might of holy magics as well.

The lightning around him surges.

"The answer is no, Fallen Angel."

"Turn back to where you came from."
(Keitaro)

The voices of fools and cowards would spill into the mind of a Fallen.

His head craning to look upon these stars above as a gradual shake of his head only followed those words. These were the souls which needed saving the most, these were the souls which needed returned to the cradle humanity had crawled from.

"You would all seek to continue upon a path of doubt while believing you can walk upon your lonesome. You would all seek to repeat the same mistakes as your ancestors than be given purpose in your lives?" The question spoken unto none, the pull of those slender lips into a smile broken as the gaze of divinity lowered.

"I see. The child refuses to be returned to their cradle."

One step back from the group of soldiers and scholars alike all stood before divinity. Those words they spoke having reaffirmed that same belief which now spilled into the minds of those present.

"Humanity is weak. Without guidance, you wander astray whilst calling out for your deities. You seek, beg for absolution while claiming you stand upon your own."

Blackened mist swelling before him, expanding and growing as gradually the foul corruption which settled upon these beaches had been given form. Familiar and all too similar crimson eyes burning from within this mass.

"Mankind is not equipped to walk their own path."
(Akasha)

It would certainly attack.

But Keitaro came prepared. Despite his wounds, despite the young age that the Shenlong possessed, his will was formidable enough to not succumb to any fears that could stalk him while facing the corrupt Divinity before him. So long as he had his own strength, the ancestral blood in his veins, and the lightning to tap into, he would be fine.

The refusal came clear, yet the Fallen Angel would not take it.

So be it. The Drakanite's lightning surged, drawing from the strength that comes from within; atop that, it was the brilliance of holy magic, the raw emotion that compelled him to protect those around him, to defend them no matter what. It was the epitome of his heroism, and he would let it shine brightly.

"Bring it on."

Keitaro wasn't seen as zealous as now... but something was changing about the youth as he grew. Something that allowed him to push past the certain limits, past the pain inflicted upon him earlier. It was now or never.

And he was always prepared.
(Keitaro)

Soldiers clashed against one another.

Those which stood alongside Briar never once wavering in the face of those which sought to topple this monster. Blades clashing against this mist given form, protecting those very same souls which chose the allure of power beyond all else.

The monster conjured roared as hundreds of golden blades rushed through it's ethereal form. Winds crashed and the waters of Magi both young and old flooded these beaches.

Even so, the spirit never once faltered.

And above all else, blackened wings would fly high above all others. Feathers dropping upon these grounds below, as the lifestream itself had physically begun to scream and cry out in agony.

Massive and continually expanding a tear, a rift in the skies above would continue to expand and consume these moonlit skies.

The spirit had no intention of halting it's assault throughout this process.


Whether it's luck or the sheer numbers, Keitaro managed to avoid being hurt too much, even if he was injured prior to this- with the hundreds of swords clashing and myriad spells flying past the battlefield, there's no telling when it would exactly end - he could only hope that they would make it through.

Still, amidst the chaos, he poured lightning on and on in attempts to silence the raging spirit with all that he had, and even more than that. The most vicious of the strikes with palmed lightning, the most powerful shock that he could produce, and yet it just didn't feel enough... not even close, in fact. Was it because the power of Divinity was so resilient, or was there more to it?

And yet, they could not give up. No matter how much punishment this beast of war could take, Keitaro prepared to exert himself even more, seeking to tap into his ancestry to ensure success in this ordeal. There's more at stake than his own health or life, and some things simply mattered more.

As such, he was ready to leap back into the fray.

With the lightning coursing through him, in combination of holy magics that empowered it with the desire to protect, the Shenlong fought with fire that was not seen from him before. There were no words to be spared for this, only pure effort and brutal efficiency - crude, almost unfitting for someone who had to call himself a Hero, but...

But it had to do.
(Keitaro)

Flames lit ablaze through the sickening corruption.

Soldiers of Briar finding their bodies willed to continue forwards no matter how many times they were beaten back. Wounds and gashes upon their form meaning nothing as time and time again, all were forced to their feet and pushed forwards.

Upon the ground it was naught but a hellish battle.

Soldiers being knocked aside, some consumed by The Mist as their mind screamed and cried out in agony. Others simply being pushed back, their body unable to force itself through those waves of corruption crashing against them.

All as one woman, consumed by the virtuous blessings of the heavens above pushed forwards. Through carnage and bloodshed, through the endless assault that void would be pushed back for only a second.

Giving the Chancellor of Huangzhou, Reito Shimasu a moment to shine with brilliance. To once and for all, knock aside this mass of mist bound by the hands of divinity.

The Skies...

Would not be given a second of rest. The soldiers which stood alongside The Mist being plucked from their place upon the ground, raising up towards that endless expanse which beckon every Magi closer.

The expansion endless as the Wayfinders below had but a single chance to combine their own strength.

To close what The Fallen Angel sought to open.

All of his strength, his power amassed over those years...

Being poured into this one act.


For the first time in his life, he knew what war felt like.

To fight on the battlefield such as this was nothing short of the war itself; with the constant brutalities that commenced, with the endless conflict that transpired on this beach- the sand serving as canvas, and everyone's blood as paint- and yet there was no end to it. It's clear that the Fallen Angel had truly amassed incredible power, but it wasn't the time to ponder over that.

Such thoughts breed only cowardice.

Again and again, the Shenlong jumps into the fray, but to his regret, things don't go as smooth this time; while the lightning is made to spread out and shock his enemies as much as it possibly can, the fell winds slash against him, trying to cease the resistance that Keitaro had put up. It all feels too much... and for a moment, he can see his own crimson spill upon this beach, painting the sands red.

Nothing felt right.

Holding onto his own wound, Keitaro crawled away for a bit, if only for the holy magics to shine upon the wound- his breathing became heavy, clearly in hurt, but they had no time. Even though he collapsed mid-fight, he sought to give himself brief repairs and anaesthesia with holy magic. It could most certainly not heal these wounds... but it could deaden the pain enough for him to fight.

"Come on... get up, get up."

Through pain, he made a rise again. Two yellow irises stared at the apparent rift, and the soldiers of Briar that were there to assist the Fallen Angel. While he had no clue how to close such gates, he knew one thing - he could help restrain those that were willing to help the Fallen Angel, and he would do just that.

An inhale.

The lightning surged with new strength; despite being covered in blood and grime, Keitaro was ready for yet another fight. He had no doubt in his mind that they would refuse to back down just like that, but with the holy magic driving him- albeit, to the lengths that he shouldn't even go- he still goes on.

"It's not over!"

The palmed lightning, the thunder - the dragon surges again.
(Keitaro)

The expanse looming overhead would be brought to a screeching halt.

Images and landscapes foreign and untouched by the hands of man would constantly shift across that space in time. The calm and collected composure of one such divine figure being broken, his brows furrowed and wings folded inwards as the collective below sought to overpower his authority.

And overpower such they had.

The images within this expanse changing and rapidly shifting as men and women would stare back from the other side. Some with wings upon their back, plucked feathers left stripped down to the bone. Others, cloaked in darkness with only eyes of crimson staring through that void.

Reaching out for a moment...

Before that connection was severed just as quickly as Akasha had worked to establish such.

Their faces, their pain and those landscapes gone from the skies in a flash.

"I see... Humanity has cast doubts upon their creators, their Fathers and Mothers to sate their own existence."

His head shook from side to side. The overwhelming battle against that expanse eased just as he spoke, rapidly closing now as one by one the members of Briar were pushed into the skies above.

Alongside those fools...

Who dared follow Akasha into the great unknown.


As quickly as that fighting broke out, it was ending just as fast.

When Keitaro sought to lunge upon the enemy forces once again, it became quickly apparent that they're now retreating alongside with the Fallen Angel, and quickly floating into the deeper unknown- while the Shenlong had the urge to pursue and end it, he wasn't that foolish to overestimate himself so greatly.

There would be no way for him to take on that.

Instead, he halts himself; looking up at the sky, he watched as they vanished from their visible horizon. One by one, they were disappearing, likely to regroup and lick their wounds, but... didn't they have to do exactly same thing? It's not like nobody was hurt.

He drew a sigh. Finally, adrenaline was wearing out.

With that, he finally wavered. It's mostly adrenaline and the pain deadening that comes with holy magic that kept him going, but otherwise, he was running out of steam at this point. He stops to recover, the lightning finally settling down.

Perhaps it's time to catch at least a bit of rest.
(Keitaro)